Eyes Open
by Riseha
Summary: [AU] The bandages slid off her eyes; Kurapika's eyes widened. "Gon, your eyes... The Kurta Clan's Scarlet Eyes! How did you...?" Fem!Gon. [Goody-goody Pair/Pedo Pair.]
1. Chapter 1

**Eyes Open**

_written by Riseha_

**Summary:** [AU] The bandages slid off her eyes; Kurapika's eyes widened. "Gon, your eyes... The Kurta Clan's Scarlet Eyes! How did you...?" Fem!Gon.

**Genre(s):** Family/Friendship/Romance/Action/Drama/Angst/Adven ture.

**Pairing(s):** Possibly Fem!GonxKurapika/Hisoka.

**Disclaimer:** I OWN nothing; Hunter x Hunter belongs to its rightful owner.

**Warning(s):** Violence. Blood.

**Author's Note: **Is there another story like mine, here? Gon's name is a shortened form of 'Gwendolyn' which means 'holy link' in reference to Gon's ability to bring people together.

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**PROLOGUE**

_Bandages_

Gwendolyn Freecss—or better know as simply Gon—was undoubtedly the island outcast.

It wasn't the fact that she was evil or mean—quite the contrary actually, Gon had a sweet-nature and kindhearted heart, and was always willing to help. It was because of this that all the children in the island envied her for how much every adult liked her.

The problem started when she was five.

Adults always patted her dark hair and always complimented her pretty blue eyes.

Children noticed this and they had to agree, the fatherless child's eyes were undoubtedly the brightest, bluest eyes they'd ever seen.

Gon could still remember the day people stopped compliment her sapphire orbs.

As a child, she'd known that the adults liked her but the children thought she was stuck-up and isolated her for being the adults' favorite, they thought she was stealing their parents' affections from her.

She had no such intentions of course, but they thought she was a liar.

She was quite gullible, so, when they suddenly became nice to her and led her into the forest to play, she suspected nothing. She still remembered the last time she saw the world, saw the lush green forest, the flora and fauna living within it.

She knew quite a lot about forests because her grandmother and aunt always brought her into the forest, taught her which animal was which and which herb was safe and what're their purposes.

She should've expected to see wild animals, dangerous _beasts_.

She didn't, too ecstatic that the other kids were finally playing with her, and she just followed them.

(It would be the last time she made such a mistake.)

She didn't expect that the kids would shove her into a liger's cave. She knew a lot about ligers, aggressive creatures they are, but only towards threats to their home or territory. But most of all, they were attracted to _blood_.

Gon stared at her bleeding palm in shock, wincing from the pain and trying to stave it. She gazed up at there light was spilling in from above.

Ligers lived under trees with thick roots, she was impressed and thought that it was cool that they could claw their way hundred feet down, regardless of rocks or any other obstacles.

It was not impressive, however, when she was face to face with a _mother_ liger _with her eggs_, in overprotective and suspicious mode.

Gon screamed, scrambling back when the liger sprang to her feet and lunged. Her back met the cold, hard wall of the cave, mindlessly raising a hand to fend the monster off. She cried out in pain when the liger's teeth sunk into her skin, piercing her bone. The pain was unbearable for a child such as her.

She stared, driven to tears from the pain, at the liger who was ready to rip her arm off.

She saw the message in the creature's eyes _i just want to protect my children and you're a threat and i won't tolerate that_ but that didn't make her feel any better; rivulets of blood dripped down her forearm, stained the liger's ivory teeth, and creating polka-dots on the ground.

She didn't dare move lest the liger tear off her arm sooner.

She didn't dare to look the creature in its slitted amber eyes, so wild and dangerous.

Her gaze was drawn to her blood: on her arm, on the ground, on its teeth. Her vision abruptly filled with spots, tears blurring her vision, when she recalled her 'friends' betrayal.

Then the rage came crashing upon her in reminisce of a tsunami. Her vision colored by red when she recalled their sneers and leers when she fell, crying for help.

-_don't forgive them_-

And she saw red.

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"Gon?"

The girl in question groaned, blinking.

Light filled her vision, exploded and colored her dark world. It hurt her eyes and she squeezed them shut again, momentarily ignoring the sob filling the air and the exhales of relief.

She blinked rapidly, shielding her eyes from the light but once she regained her bearings, she realized that shielding her already covered eyes were unnecessary.

She reached up to touch her eyes, a bandage obscuring her goal. "Wha...?" she whipped her head around wildly to where she could smell her aunt.

"Mito-san," she called, reaching out a hand which her aunt took. She swallowed, suddenly feeling thirsty. "Water," she croaked, and she exhaled in relief when cool glass touched her skin. She gulped down the offered water greedily, holding the glass in her hand as she gathered her thoughts.

"What's with the bandage?" she asked, feeling the white gauze scrubbing her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy and white, courtersy of the bandage but she was sure she'd still see fine when the bandage was off. "I'm fine, I can see all right."

Aunt Mito was smoothing her hair. "Gon..." she whispered, sad. "You can't take it off anymore."

Gon stiffened, knitting her brows in confusion. "What?" she asked blankly, incredulous. "Why?"

"Do you remember anything from, when- when the liger attacked you?"

Gon tilted her head to the side in thought. "Yes... a little," she muttered. "The village kids pushed me in and the liger bit my arm. I... I was angry, sad and hurt by the kids' betrayal, so I... I dunno, I saw red and then my memory came up with a blank. What happened while I was out?"

She could just hear Mito-san inhaling sharply and closing her eyes, like she usually did when she prepared herself to deliver terrible news.

"When we came to find you, we saw the ligers within the cave, a whole pack of them, torn apart." Gon blinked, confused. "They were torn apart by human hands, and, Gon, the only person there was you and when the men descended, they saw you, um, on a killing spree."

The small girl was horrified. "No!" she protested. "I didn't kill—"

"You did," Mito-san said, sighing heavily. "you were so strong not even three men could restrain you, only when Kenji's father covered your whole face, your eyes included, did you stop. You passed out once your eyes were closed. I bandaged your eyes so that you wouldn't... lose it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You've been asleep for a week. During that week, we tried to take of the bandage when you stirred. Your eyes were red, Gon, you broke a man's fingers. I barely managed to cover your eyes. And once I did, you slump back down, you didn't wake until today."

Gon 'stared' at her arms blankly, not that she could see them but...

"I... I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"I know," Mito-san said.

But her tone of voice told the young girl she didn't really get it.

Gon reached up to feel the bandages around her eyes again, sad that no one would compliment her blue eyes, but not willing to take it off lest she hurt anyone again.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked brokenly, voice no more than a whisper and she heard Mito-san inhaling sharply, worried and unsure as to how to answer her. "I've never had... a problem like this before."

"Your father never had such eyes either," Mito-san finally answered. "It could be from your mother's side of the family."

Gon looked up eagerly; her aunt and grandmother never mentioned anything about her mother and father, so she was especially curious despite her unusual circumstances. "Really? Do you- do you know anything about her? Her family? Where she is now?"

"No," Mito-san said, making Gon's mood dampen slightly. "but your father said your mother returned to her clan, deep within the forest."

"Here?"

"No, off the island."

"...Mito-san?"

"Yes?"

"Did Father meet Mother because he was a Hunter?"

"Yes," Mito answered slowly, curious as to why her niece would ask such a question. "his job enlists him to search for treasures. Your mother happened to have something he was searching for I suppose." When her niece continued to stare into space, she excused herself and went back to cleaning the house, sighing and infinitely worried about the young girl.

Mito had screamed at the brats who'd abandoned her niece and had enlisted every available man's help on the island.

She was worried; Gon came out unharmed, physically anyway, but what would the terror and betrayal do to her psyche?

"Mito-san?"

Mito turned, "Yes?"

"I want to become a Hunter." The girl reached up to touch the bandages. "I have to ask him about my eyes, I also want to know why he'd abandon me."

"Gon..."

"I've made my mind up," the girl insisted stubbornly. "You can't stop me."

No, she couldn't, just as she couldn't stop Ging; her heart sank when the thought of losing Gon crossed her mind. She wrapped her arms around her niece in a hug, desperately wishing that the young girl would remain in her protective embrace forever.

She was losing her little girl with bright blue eyes.

And there was nothing she could do.

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_Don't be too deterred by the length of the prologue, the chapters will be longer than this. Also, I don't think I've seen a story like this yet, a Kuruta Gon and Female one too. So, I'd really appreciate your thoughts and opinions to improve the story. I'll try to keep this Gon light-hearted, but it's my first time writing such a happy go lucky character, I'm more to the angst-tragedy-filled characters, so pointers would help, and do remind me if one of them gets too OOC._

_Check out my other new stories too if you have the time! ^^_

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**REVIEW**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I OWN nothing—Hunter x Hunter belongs to its rightful owner.

**Warning(s):** Violence. Language. Severe AU, Gender-bending.

**Beta:** Arii-hime.

**Author:** Me.

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**CHAPTER TWO**

_Magician_

"You sure you're actually human, kid?"

Gon wrinkled her nose in confusion. "What makes you say that?" she asked curiously, nearly drooling at the sight of the dishes and delicacies before her. "Hm?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Kurapika muttered, unable to stop his lecture.

Gon made a grunt of acknowledge, swallowing greedily. Leorio stared blankly at her. "Scratch my earlier question; are you a girl, Gon? Even your name sounds like a boy's!"

"My full name's Gwendolyn," Gon agreed, wrinkling her nose in disgust—typical for a tomboy girl, Kurapika noted. "but yes to both questions, I'm a human girl," she paused, chewing on her food thoughtfully, ignoring Kurapika's glare for talking when eating. "unless of course, my father neglected to mention to my aunt that his wife, my mother, is a magical beast."

Coming from anyone else, Leorio would've pegged it as mockery but since it was sweet and innocent Gon, Leorio chose to let it slide as a simple, innocent statement.

He chewed on his meat, noting how fine the texture of the meat was. Money, so this was the life of a Hunter...

"I've been wondering," Gon mused, chewing on her second serving of fish. "why there are so many people ready to become Hunters. I came for my dad, so I don't know."

Her companions were silent for a moment and her skin prickled, tell-tale signs that they were gaping at her.

"To be a Hunter—" Gon recognized both Kurapika's and Leorio's voices speaking in tandem. She blinked, she didn't know that they were so in sync, she thought they had different goals for being a Hunter.

"...is the job that brings the most money... "

"...is the most noble and courageous thing..."

"—in the world!"

Gon sweatdropped; she thought too soon. "Err..."

"Listen, Gon, when you become a Hunter, you receive a license! With that you can travel anywhere in the world! In addition, you have free access to public services! Out of the hundred richest people in the world, 60 of them are Hunters! The license is the symbol of wealth and glory! You only need to sell it and you'll live in luxury for the rest of your life without needing to lift a finger!"

Gon glanced at where she could hear Kurapika's labored breathing.

"Ridiculous! Don't listen to Leorio, Gon! The true role of a Hunter is to protect the people and maintain the balance of nature! Hunters arrest criminals, they save rare species and restore ancient civilizations lost to humanity eons ago!"

Leorio growled. "Suck up!"

"Greedy!" For once, being childish, Kurapika retorted before he glanced at the sole female among them. "Well, Gon? What sort of Hunter do you want to be?!"

Gon chewed on her half-eaten fish, swallowing nervously. "Uh, well, in fact, I uh..." she sweatdropped. "I want to become whatever Hunter my dad is." Conveniently, the elevator dinged. She perked up, ignoring the seething males behind her. "Come on! We're here!" She sprang to her feet, grabbing her backpack, ready to set off.

Kurapika snatched her arm before she could run into the wall. "Hold it, we'll guide you there, Gon!" He hurriedly slung his slingback over his shoulder, before ushering Gon out of the elevator, Leorio following soon after with his suitcase in hand.

Gon tried to calm her heartbeat so that she could tell her surroundings better. Her skin prickled, her hair standing, she was slightly nervous as she knew many were watching her. She wished she could've taken a peek to tell the situation but the tense hand of Kurapika's on her shoulder told her what she needed to know.

"It's dark here," Leorio muttered, finally speaking up once everyone's heavy stares elevated, glancing about.

"It's always dark for me," Gon said cheerily, in an attempt to comfort her friend, not noticing how he winced in pity. She glanced about, despite knowing the futility of the action. "I wonder how many people are here..."

"With you, there are 405 people." Gon perked up, turning to her right where she heard the rough but friendly voice. She tilted her head slightly as she heard his voice from above. He must be very tall, she thought, not knowing that the speaker was merely sitting high up.

"Nice to meet you!" the man said cheerily. "I'm Tonpa!"

"Here's your number!" Gon blinked, realizing that whoever it was had spoken to her and was trying to offer her something. She groped about, frowned, and tried to reach higher—how tall were men outside her island these days anyway? They grew like trees!

"Um, miss? I'm down here."

She blushed. "Sorry," she mumbled, laughing sheepishly as she reached down, grasping a hard surface. "Uh..."

"That's the floor, miss." It was to the speaker's credit he did not let any of the amusement he felt into his voice. Gon crouched, straining her ears for the childish man-voice, ignoring the snickers and laughs directed her way. She reached out and this time, she grasped a circular, thin material.

She traced the number printed on the badge, then she smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem, miss!"

Tonpa glanced at the crippled girl, trying to hide his smirk under a friendly smile. That blind girl wanted to be a Hunter? What a joke, she probably made it here with these guys' help.

"New here, kids?"

"How did you know?" the girl asked innocently, staring at him; it felt unnatural to talk to her, but then again, he had rarely spent time with blind people and not seeing someone's eyes were unnerving, it was harder to tell that person's intentions.

"I've been here since I was 10 and this is my 35th time! I'm what you could call a veteran!" he laughed, not at all ashamed at the status. What surprised him was the genuine wonder on the girl's face.

"Really? That's awesome! The preliminaries are super-hard, if you can make it here so many times, I'm sure you're awesome too!"

Leorio's eyebrow twitched. He felt like throttling the little girl; why can't she stop trusting people so easily? He rolled his eyes, leave it to Gon to see the good in a pathetic situation.

"So you know everyone here, don't you?"

Tonpa stopped his gawking at the girl—no one ever complimented him in such a way—to answer. "Uh, yeah!" he scratched his cheek, slightly embarrassed. "Well, I'm going to be making introductions!"

Gon listened attentively, trying to imagine how each person looked like from Tonpa's description, despite knowing that it was futile and she was probably far off from the mark anyway.

Just as she opened her mouth to comment, a scream drew everyone's attention.

She turned, hearing sharp intakes of breath from a lot of people and she knew they were either shocked or appalled. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, how strange," A masculine, amused voice echoed throughout the now silent crowd. "He doesn't have any arms. Just some magic, ladies and gentlemen." Then soft, amused laughter. "You have to be careful mister, be polite and remember to apologize when you hit someone."

Gon was itching to know what was happening, she tugged impatiently on Leorio's sleeve. "Well?"

"That lunatic cut off that guy's arms!"

"Yeah," Tonpa said, gulping audibly. "There are always guys you shouldn't trust. No. 44, Hisoka the magician, or joker, just look at the way he dresses. Ugh, just like a clown."

Clown? Gon had a clown doll once, when she was practically a baby and she recalled lugging the little thing about everywhere she went. "Cute," she muttered; she wondered if Hisoka look the least bit like her plushie.

"Cute?!" Leorio balked. "Are you blind, Gon—that guy—ow!" Kurapika glared at him, making discreet motions at the girl's bandaged eyes and the older boy paled. "Sorry, didn't mean to be so insensitive, I was just..." he trailed off when Gon patted his hand.

"That's okay," she said. "I wasn't talking about Hisoka. I was talking about the clown plushie I had when I was a kid."

Kurapika blinked. "You weren't born the way you are then?"

"No," Gon said wistfully, hand under her chin, in thought. "Let's just say a big bad liger came and took everything away."

Kurapika felt the sudden urge to hunt down every single liger right then and there; he shuddered, ugh, 'spider' and 'liger' rhymed, was every creature that was named some word rhyming with '-er' out to get him or what?

"Ah, by the way, I just remembered," Tonpa rummaged around his bug; unseen by Gon of course, she just heard some rustlings. "Shall we celebrate our meeting and your arrival here? Let's drink to wish ourselves good luck!"

Gon accepted the can handed to her, quickly twisting the cap off and taking a drink. Then, not a second later, hurled it back up, startling Tonpa badly.

"Sorry," she mumbled, wiping her mouth dry of the juice. "Your juice tastes bad, I think it's expired. The thought's appreciated though."

Tonpa's heart leaped to his throat; but, outwardly, he tried to calm himself. "Ah? I'm astonished... I'm sincerely sorry! I didn't know!"

"It's okay," Gon laughed it off, unaware of Leorio's scowl of utter distrust and Kurapika's eyes narrowing in suspicion. "It's a good thing I drank first. I often ate plants and buds on the mountains, so my sense of taste is very good, I can taste instantly when something's wrong. Hehe..."

Tonpa laughed, trying to play it off as relief, and trying to stem the irritation rising. Here he thought he was going to crush a blind brat's hopes, but what he stumbled upon was two overprotective guys and a wild, blind child.

Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, starting to get nervous under two glares, he backed off, excusing himself.

He scampered off but he swore to make the blind girl fail.

Someone like her could never be a Hunter!

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"Ne, Leorio?"

Said man wheezed, his chest heaving for breath, but Kurapika could hear his grunt of acknowledgement. "I have something to ask."

"Well? Go on," Leorio snapped impatiently.

"Why did you want to become a Hunter?"

Leorio scowled. "I told you the other day! For money! What else? I'm not an idiot like you!"

Kurapika scoffed. "I know you—well, from what I can grasp of your personality anyway. I know you're not like that, Leorio. You're definitely not the strongest or the smartest, but I know you're not like that. I've seen a lot of people who live only for money and you're not like any of them at all!"

Leorio scoffed. "Please, I'm not as noble as you. You chose to become a Hunter to avenge your clansmen and bring them justice. I'm sorry to say my goal is only money. Nothing more."

Kurapika was starting to grow frustrated; why was this guy so stubborn and ignoring everything in plain sight?

"Nonsense!" he yelled back stubbornly. "Don't tell me you really think money can buy everything in the world!"

"Yes!" Leorio yelled back, as stubborn as he was. "Things can be bought by money for sure! Dreams too! Even lives depend on money! Everything can be bought!"

"Take back what you said!" Kurapika cried angrily. Money could buy lives? Bullshit. If money really could bring the dead back to life, he would've been a thief and robbed every bank in sight just to get his family back.

"No! It's the truth!" Leorio glared at him but Kurapika thought he saw tears in the older man's eyes. "If I had money, my friend wouldn't have died!"

Kurapika blinked; he hadn't been expecting that. "Illness?"

"It wasn't an incurable disease," Leorio said, voice suddenly dejected as he turned his head forward, quickening his pace. "but the operation fee was too much for us to pay. I was naive back then, I thought I could be a doctor and cure him! I thought I could tell every parent of all those children suffering like my friend that I would never charge them impossible fees to cure their kids! That was my dream!"

Kurapika's eyes softened. "What happened?"

"But I was too naive!" Leorio continued. "Because there was something I didn't know: to be a doctor, the study fees were expensive!" He started laughing maniacally. But Kurapika knew that wasn't malicious laughter, it was the sort of laughter used to hide the grief. "You see? Money, money, money—it's all that matters and I want it!"

"You hear that, Gon? Once I become a doctor, I'll cure your eyes, great, eh?"

Leorio and Kurapika turned to hear her response, but balked when they failed to see a blind girl following them.

"Oh, shit."

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Gon didn't know how long she had been running and she didn't know where Kurapika and Leorio were either, she was starting to get worried and unsure.

She knew people would be out to get her, since she was undoubtedly the weakest and most vulnerable. Her eyes throbbed, as if reminding her that she was not alone and she knew she wasn't.

She was here, still alive and very much aware of everything happening around Gon and as bloodthirsty as ever.

Gon grimaced when she tripped. The path, she knew was barren of rocks or stones and she was not as clumsy to trip on thin air, which meant that someone shoved her. Her hand reached up to grip the smarting shoulder.

Before she could concentrate on her path again, she ran into someone.

Automatically, apologies spewed forth from her lips. "I'm so sorry, mister, I really couldn't see where I was going."

A soft, tinkling, high-pitched laughter answered her; it wasn't mocking her, just the friendly sort, the voice sounded young and girlish. Gon wondered who she was.

"Hey," the other girl said, reaching out to steady Gon. "It's okay."

Gon regained her balance rather quickly with the girl's help, and she was more confident in her strides with the girl's hand in her own. "I'm Gon, you?"

"Alluka!" the girl replied instantly. "How old are you?"

"Twelve," Gon said. "You?"

Alluka giggled. "A year younger, eleven. But my older brother is the same age as you, I'll call him—oy, Nii-chan! I'm over here!" From the whooshing sounds Gon heard coming from her new friend's direction, and the vibrations she felt, she figured the younger girl was waving to her older brother. Someone's footsteps, heavier but as confident as Alluka's approached them.

"Hey," a boy's voice said, directed at Gon who replied with a smile and a polite greeting.

"Killua-nii, meet Gon. Gon, meet my older brother, Killua."

"Nice to meet you!" Gon said cheerily.

"Ah, same here." Annoyance set in his tone when he addressed his own sister. "Allu," he said sharply. "Don't run off like that next time."

"I can't help it," the girl said. "those guys're bullying Gon, I have to step in!"

"That's very nice of you," Gon remarked. Before Alluka could answer, Leorio's voice called out from behind them, calling Gon's name.

"Who's that?" Killua's voice asked.

"My friend," Gon said, mildly surprised that she was in front of them.

"We'll meet them in front," Alluka said. "I think we're near. Come on, Gon, up the stairs!" Alluka grabbed her hand just as she finished talking and the siblings guided her up the stairs.

Gon was mildly surprised that neither tried to push her off, but then, there were bound to be people as nice as Kurapika and Leorio in the exams, right?

She smiled.

Things were looking up!

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**QUESTION:** Why do you think I include Alluka here?

REVIEW

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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything you recognize.

**Warnings:** Deaths. Violence. Expletives.

**Beta:** Arii-hime.

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**Eyes Open**

**Chapter Three: Battle In the Mist**

Alluka held her hand all the way.

Gon still had doubts about them trying to trick her and her guard was up, much to her shame (what if they were truly kind people with no evil intentions?), but she dropped it when Alluka helped her up multiple times.

She was sure the young girl wasn't evil. But her older brother was a different matter entirely. He didn't say much and she didn't think he cared about her condition that much anyway.

"Gon!"

"Here!" Said girl cried back when she heard Leorio's voice. "Jeez, you don't have to shout so loud." That was what came from her but inwardly, she was happy; so was this what having an older brother was like?

She wished she had older brothers, perhaps people like Leorio and Kurapika; and like how Alluka had Killua, she was sure they were happy together.

"Who're they?" came Kurapika's slightly suspicious voice.

"I'm Alluka!" the cheerful younger girl answered. "And this is my brother, Killua! There's also Nanika but—"

"Allu!" Killua interjected sharply. "Enough."

"Sorry, I can't help myself. And she'd feel very left out."

"Who's Nanika?" Gon asked curiously.

"No one," Killua answered dishonestly.

Gon didn't need to look into his eyes to know that it was a blatant lie. She remained silent, not prying even though she was sure the siblings were shooting one another looks. Gon always had the sixth sense to sense someone's emotions, like her body was trying to compensate the loss of sight.

The skill was quite handy at times.

Gon nearly tripped when she failed to find another step. She wheezed slightly. "Ah... the steps came to an end?" she wondered.

"Yes," Alluka said. She jumped up and down, eventually coaxing Gon to do the same. "Yay! We're the first!"

Killua scoffed. "Stop it, it makes me look bad if the both of you continue to act like loons."

Alluka reached over Gon to swat her older brother but the white-haired boy swiftly dodged, batting his sister's hand away, making her pout at him. This, of course, was unseen by Gon who was busy sniffing the air.

"Where are we?" she finally asked, unable to picture things in her mind.

Alluka glanced at her, answering, "In the middle of a forest covered in mist." She paused. "I don't think it'd be much bother to you—or us. We'll lead you out of here, hold my hand, okay?"

Gon turned, reaching out to take Alluka's hand but someone shoved her, making her yelp; the sounds of thunderous footsteps from behind her, the crowd surging her forward, told her that the race had already begun. "Alluka! Killua!" she called, her voice hopelessly drowned out by the men who not-so-nicely shoved her out of the way.

She stumbled, barely able to regain her footing soon enough to move out of the way.

Now, Gon was worried.

She didn't know where her friends were, she didn't think anyone else would help her and she didn't know where to go nor did she know how to get there.

Hesitating, deciding to just trust her instincts and hearing, she ran after the grown men, hoping that the group she'd chosen was going the right way.

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Tonpa smirked when he saw the girl stumble, separated from the other two.

One of the Amori Brothers, the blue-shirted one, Imori, ran up to him, smirking. "All done, we got that blind kid separated from the rest." Tonpa clapped him on his shoulder, grinning widely. Imori shook his head, an amused smile on his lips. "Cruel as ever man, no mercy even for the blind."

Tonpa shrugged. "I'm just trying to help her realize that she's not cut out to be a Hunter." He frowned. "Where's that blonde guy and that glasses-wearing one?"

Imori shrugged. "No idea, they've been separated from the blind one since the marathon. Speaking of which, you have yet to pay us..." He wiggled his brow for emphasis.

Tonpa grinned, slapping a pile of cash in his hand. "It's been good doing business with you."

Imori shot him an odd look. "The things you'd do to make people miserable..."

Tonpa smiled. "It's my goal in life."

Imori shook his head, jogging onward, unable to hang out with Tonpa's weirdness. "What a weirdo," he mumbled under his breath, glancing in the direction where he saw the white-haired boy and his sister looking about wildly, calling their friend's name.

He spared them all a moment of sympathy for being on Tonpa's hit-list but pitying others wasn't his goal. So, he turned, cupped his hands over his mouth and called out to his brothers.

"Wait for me!"

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Leorio was almost glad that Gon wasn't with them now. He definitely didn't want that sweet little girl to meet this freaky asshole. Leorio gulped, tensing even further when another participant dropped dead.

Decided to play judge, what the fuck was going through that clown's head? Leorio shuddered to think about it, he definitely didn't want to understand how the other's mind worked. That guy's mind has got to be messed up!

Leorio met Kurapika's eyes, not at all surprised when he instantly understood what the younger boy was telling him with those grey eyes. He supposed that there were people out there who just _clicked_ into friendship, could bond in a mere few days.

Leorio took a step back, waiting for Kurapika's signal to back away and use those guys as distraction.

Hisoka's eyes swept to him, as if he could read his mind.

That Tonpa didn't say that Hisoka was a mind-reader but just because no one claimed such, didn't mean he couldn't read people's minds. Leorio had the sudden thought that it'd be impossible to face this guy and escape unscathed, much less alive.

"Ah..." Leorio was forcefully pulled back to reality, and his jaw dropped at the sight before him. Where there stood about a hundred participants... there was no one but Hisoka left. He gulped when Hisoka turned to them, having been the one to make a petulant whine. "There's only three of you left."

Leorio glanced back, seeing Kurapika and an unfamiliar stranger. If a hundred couldn't defeat the clown, Leorio didn't know how three people could do the trick.

"Listen," the stranger whispered, low enough only for them to hear, "at my call, we'll run in three separate directions; that'd throw him off track, right? I'm sure all of you have good reasons to be Hunters, surely you wouldn't want to die here because of pride, right? There's no harm in running."

Leorio agreed, not that he was not keen on running in the first place. "Now!"

At that, the three separated, scattering across the clearing. Leorio expected Hisoka to pounce any moment, but the clown laughed, shuffling his cards, loudly saying that he'd allow them time to run.

His nostrils flared, skidding to a stop, turning around with a battle-cry.

Kurapika nearly tripped when Leorio shot past him, back to where Hisoka stood, clearly surprised that anyone of them dared to strike back.

"That's it!" Leorio roared. "I've lost my temper. Be prepared!"

"Leorio!" Kurapika cried, trying to convey every single warning into that one word.

Leorio brought his makeshift sword down, he missed, as Kurapika had expected. But just as Hisoka reached down to throttle Leorio or deliver a swift blow meant to kill, something smacked Hisoka's cheek with enough force to push him away from the short tempered man.

Kurapika's eyes widened, his stance relaxing for a moment in shock.

"_Gon_?" he called incredulously.

Very slowly, in no hurry or anger at all, Hisoka turned to face the newcomer. He arched a brow when he saw the bandages: the blind girl, the only handicapped contestant.

"Oh... did I get him?" She shifted her grip on her fishing pole. "Assuming, on the account that Leorio is still breathing, I managed to distract him, yes?"

"Pretty good aim for not being able to see, kid," Hisoka called back. "With a fishing rod, no less. What a peculiar weapon, show it to me how useful it is in battle!"

Leorio sprang up. "Your battle's with me, you damn—"

Gon stiffened when the sickening sound of broken bones rang across the clearing. Something blew past her face, and she knew Leorio's body had just been thrown carelessly past her. Her body tensed in fear, her brain freezing in the face of such power. In that instant, she knew she couldn't beat this man.

Blood trickled down Gon's cheek and she flinched; she hadn't realize Hisoka had thrown something her way. From how clean the cut was, she surmised that he'd thrown a card her way. Her bandages slid down her face; she stiffened, torn between letting go and staying in control.

She could sense, smell and hear her friends' fear, could feel and taste Hisoka's blood lust—if no one did anything, if she didn't sacrifice herself, he'd kill them all.

She couldn't let that happen to her friends.

She didn't think, she acted—she let herself go, sinking into oblivion even as she felt her body snapping into action.

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A fist to his cheek was not what Hisoka expected after intimidating the girl with Nen.

Hisoka skidded a few feet back, feeling his cheek smarting with a bruise; and whereas others would've been surprised by her strength (not to say he wasn't), he smirked.

This girl was interesting. He raised his head to look into what she'd hidden behind the bandages, what had given her such a boost of raw power.

The bandages slid off her eyes; Kurapika's eyes widened. "Gon, your eyes... The Kuruta Clan's Scarlet Eyes! How did you...?"

_Scarlet Eyes?_

Impossible. Hisoka may not have been present but he'd helped in selling those prized eyes of the Kuruta away. He scrutinized the girl; it may be possible that those eyes were transplanted even though every operation he'd heard of had failed so far as only a Kuruta blood may use the famed eyes.

Hisoka's eyes locked with the girl's. There was no fear, unlike the fear that had reeked off her earlier; just eerie calmness, the eye before a storm.

Then, she grinned—not the friendly smile, but one Hisoka himself had often wore: one of crazed blood lust, craving destruction. Hisoka jerked back as she lunged, her punches and kicks crazy fast, so fast that he had to rely on his body's reflexes to move on instinct instead of using his eyes.

She pushed him back, not giving him room to breathe but that was fine for Hisoka.

He would love to kill the girl, she'd be a satisfying kill, but she's got so much more damn potential, so much more room to grow and gain power that it'd be a damn pity if she died here now.

He grabbed her fist, intent on stopping her and retreating but the possessed girl didn't seem like stopping anytime soon. She jackknifed upwards, kneeing his chin, twisting midair, and landing on his shoulder, the force of her attack shoving him down.

She pinned him to the ground, having reversed their position: she, the hunter; he, the hunted.

She snarled at him, like she was ready to tear his throat out with her incisors alone.

Hisoka smiled up cheerily at her. "I lost. I'll let you and your friends walk away alive." She sneered, animalistic. Hisoka craned his neck to where he could practically smell the shock rolling waves from the girl's only conscious friend. "Blondie, if you wish to walk out of here alive, sane and limbs intact, I advise you get this girl off me."

"Gon," the boy called, voice strained and tight. "Please get off him. You're not in your right mind, you'll regret it if you kill him. I know you're not ready to kill anyone." Very bravely, he closed the distance between them, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "He's not worth the anger and we're safe aren't we? We're okay, Gon, you're safe, we're safe, everything's okay."

"It'd be even better if you're not trying to kill me," Hisoka butted in cheerfully as Kurapika pried her off him. But the moment Hisoka sat up, Gon snarled, body ready to spring forward, ready to tear his throat out and Kurapika flinched.

He'd only heard, and had seen Pairo like this once, and the adults had...

Kurapika grabbed one of the fallen men's belt, sliding it beneath Gon's fringe, efficiently covering her eyes. Hisoka observed; he waited and the girl slumped. Relaxing, Kurapika fastened the belt over her eyes, silently wondering how he was going to replace the bandages without her going crazy again.

"Strange phenomenon," Hisoka said. "Is she always like this?"

Kurapika shook his head, mystified, but then, seeming to recall who he was talking to, tensed. He eyed Hisoka warily. The Joker raised his hands in a surrender motion.

"I lost this round fair and square, you pass the test." Hisoka smiled at them, not very nicely, no, but more of a predatory sort, as if he was about to have dinner. "As a matter of fact, all of you will be good Hunters." Kurapika stiffened when the magician walked past him, to Leorio's body.

He threw a smile back at Kurapika, but his eyes were on Gon's unconscious form.

"You'll find your way to the finishing point fine, won't you?"

Kurapika nodded, eyeing Leorio.

"I'll bring him there, it'd be a pity to see him fail now," Hisoka said, seeing Kurapika's questioning look, waved and left, his back disappearing in the mist.

Deciding that their discussion could wait till Gon woke, Kurapika shifted her so that she was safely on his back and set off. He licked his lips, mind racing, his heart beating with hope.

Gon might be a family member, a Kuruta that had been spared from the massacre!

He smiled; coming to this Exam was definitely the best choice he'd made.

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**Question:** Any theories about Gon's eyes and actions in this chapter?

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